Prevalence of Atypical Bacteria in Patients from Different Paediatric Age Groups Diagnosed with a Respiratory Disease

Abstract

Atypical bacterial pathogens present the ability to induce pulmonary damage. At present, there are no available phenotypic diagnosis tests that achieve up to 100% reliability. Therefore, clinicians must utilise molecular techniques for the detection and identification of these pathogens. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of atypical bacteria in paediatric patients from different age groups. A total of 609 clinical samples were collected from paediatric patients who presented with an adverse respiratory condition during the period from March 2021 to February 2024. DNA was extracted from the samples, and end-point PCR was performed to detect atypical bacteria. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the bacterial prevalence and assess clinical data from newborns and mothers that could be related to RDS. A total of 139 patients exhibited at least one atypical organism (22.82%). Ureaplasma parvum was more prevalent in neonates, while M. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae were more prevalent in older infants. Atypical bacteria can be present in all seasons of the year, but their prevalence increases during hot weather. Mixed infections due to atypical bacteria may occur. The risk factors related to the development of RDS are prematurity, low weight, and orotracheal intubation.